Synonyms for candor
- noun
- American English
Most common
frankness honesty sincerity forthrightness fairness impartiality
Synonyms by meaning
Noun
1. Frankness — the state of being sincere and open in speech; honesty in expression
frankness, honesty, sincerity, forthrightness, directness, openness, outspokenness, truth, veracity, freedom, candidness, ingenuousness, artlessness, guilelessness, unreserve, parrhesia, simplicity
2. Fairness — impartiality
Other
Definitions
- n. 1
The state of being sincere and open in speech; honesty in expression.
- n. 2
Impartiality.
Forms
- Plural
- candors → franknesses, honesties, sincerities, directnesses…
Choose the right word
Candor, frankness, honesty, and ingenuousness are allied with veracity, and verity with truth, while truthfulness may accord with either.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- honesty He didn't believe that honesty is the best policy.
- sincerity Sami was able to convince people of his sincerity.
- frankness I couldn't help smiling at her childlike frankness.
- forthrightness I admire his forthrightness.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| candor | falling | |
| honesty | rising | |
| sincerity | steady | |
| frankness | falling | |
| forthrightness | falling |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 5 letters
- truth1
- 6 letters
- equity3
- 7 letters
- freedom2, honesty3
- 8 letters
- fairness2, openness3, veracity4
- 9 letters
- sincerity4, frankness2, unreserve, parrhesia
- 10 letters
- simplicity4, directness3, candidness
- 11 letters
- artlessness
- 12 letters
- impartiality6
- 13 letters
- outspokenness4, ingenuousness, guilelessness
- 14 letters
- forthrightness3
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (equity3 = 3 syllables).